


If It Means A Lot To You

by Elise_Davidson



Series: 40 Snapshots [27]
Category: Stargate Universe
Genre: 12. White, 40 Snapshots, Eli calls them on it though, Encouraging!Chloe, Hoth Jr planet, Huddle for warmth trope, Little bit of angst, Multi, Scott wants it though, The OT3 no one asked for
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 14:21:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10641651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elise_Davidson/pseuds/Elise_Davidson
Summary: Eli is convinced that Destiny is trying to kill him.Matt and Chloe help alleviate those fears.And honestly, when did Destiny become home?Title from A Day to Remember.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Notes: For whatever reason, I can’t let go of the Eli/Chloe/Scott OT3, and this is, more or less, the result.
> 
> Quick warning; this was not beta’d as much as I would like, especially since it ended up way longer than I intended. I’ve done a handful of read-throughs, but ultimately, I don’t really have a constant beta outside of LegacySoulReaver, and he wasn’t really up for this one, given the pairing. That being said, there are probably a few mistakes hanging around, and I sincerely apologize for them, and I hope it doesn’t affect the integrity of the story itself.
> 
> M-rating is for the mention of naughty bits, but no big-O’s, if you know what I mean.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> As I've mentioned in the tags and summary notes, title is from the song "If It Means a Lot To You" by A Day To Remember.

  1. White



 

Eli was beginning to think Destiny had it out for him and only him, and he was fairly certain it had started when he had beat the odds and survived the jump to the next galaxy.

Ever since, it was like the ship was outright testing him.  Control panels that had never been anything more than sheets of metal and loads of circuitry would short out, shocking and flashing under his fingers, only for it to purr like a kitten to Volker or Brody.  Coding that he was absolutely certain was correct would begin presenting non-fatal errors, but then Rush would come around, and it was miraculously running better than ever.

And dear, sweet, baby Jesus in _heaven_ , he wasn’t about to start with the off-world missions.

Okay, so maybe he was going to get started.

But for fuck’s sake, of all the wonderful, temperate planets everyone else had been scavenging from, his only two off-world missions had been gut-wrenchingly miserable to the point where he understood and deeply agreed with, on a soul-punching level, Rush’s stance on never leaving the ship.

The first one had some sort of mold or algae or _who the fuck cares_ that had some of the scientists foaming at the mouth and practically breaking down Young’s door about going down.  Coupled with the fact TJ had seen some promising plants, it seemed like it had meant for a nice, easy scavenger hunt (scavenger hunt being what Eli had taken to calling the missions since milk run didn’t really apply anymore—they had found some sort of milk from an unknown animal, but was, frankly, undrinkable).

In any case, Eli had been _dying_ to get off the ship for anything.  However, he had barely stepped through the gate into oppressively humid air, and was promptly stung (bitten?  Whatever, it had freaking _hurt_ ) by some prehistoric-looking dragonfly-mosquito hybrid, and just as abruptly as it had happened, he was out on the ground, unconscious.

When he had awakened in the infirmary, they were already back to FTL and his tongue felt like a dead, oversized slug.  There was also a sizeable bandage on his shoulder, and it definitely hurt.

TJ had then informed him that it was where the initial bite/sting ( _ha_ , even she didn’t know) was, and that the bandage was covering a gaping hole that used to be flesh, and she’d had to cut some of the skin away.  Somehow, it had ended up being remarkably like a brown recluse bite.

On the bright side (and _fuck_ the bright side; he had a freaking _hole_ in his arm), they found that the venom was a pretty damn effective anesthetic, albeit carefully injected and in much smaller doses.  Even better was that if they increased the dosage and packaged it differently, it could probably be weaponized.

Eli had grumbled his thanks, spent the next three months healing (and avoiding corridor 40-D because every time he went through it, the same panel sparked and shorted out as he passed), and warily watched as people went off world, coming back without a damn scratch and looking better for getting off the ship.

Even Rush went twice, and though Eli knew he’d never admit it, looked more rested and less pale.  The notoriously grumpy scientist was even more productive in the week following each time he had gone off-world.

So what if Young had to drag him kicking and screaming?  It made Eli _yearn_ for fresh air, a sky, a horizon…whatever passed for day and night in this galaxy.

The second time he had gone off-world, it was, once again, supposed to be a scavenger hunt with a side-order of there being actual human-made structures, with the possibility of finding technology that wasn’t from the stone-age.

That had ended when he had tried to boot up one of the computers.  Rush was humming nearby at another.  Chloe was inspecting some of the faded newspapers and other posters around the room in an attempt to decipher the very Greek-like writing.  Scott was standing an even distance between the three of them, warily eyeing the windows as if thinking those things from the other planet would show up, and wouldn’t _that_ suck?

Naturally, Eli hit what he was pretty sure was the power button, but, in hindsight, was the stupid blow-up button, because the monitor blinked, lines of code in a language he didn’t understand streaked across the screen, and then the whole thing, quite literally, exploded in a rain of shattered glass and flashing sparks.

Chloe and Scott had got him to TJ as quick as they could with Eli more or less blinded, and once they had found her, TJ had tutted and tsk’d, commenting how lucky he was that nothing serious had been stabbed by glass (except his vision _still_ wasn’t right, and he had taken to stealing Rush’s glasses when Rush wasn’t using them).

Chloe and Scott hung around him more after that, keeping him company and entertaining him.  It was…annoying, but at the same time, he wasn’t going to turn down either one of them visiting him.  Scott was funny, in his own way, once he opened up, and Eli had never had any problems chatting with Chloe.  Hell, they usually ate breakfast and dinner together, and those conversations ran the gamut, including everything in between the mundane when Scott or Eli were too exhausted to actually contribute much, to times when Chloe and Eli talked too much about equations and Scott would sometimes contribute a surprisingly innovative solution (even if it had a 56% chance of not working).

Either way, it wasn’t like he minded.  The company was nice.

It took nearly six months after the second off-world incident (and nearly two years out of stasis) for him to warily ask about the next gate mission.

The planet was nice enough, if a little chilly, Rush had told him absently.  One of the biologists wasn’t sure, but had tentatively made the call that the planet was likely in late winter.

As Eli prepared to ask more questions, the kino that had been floating benignly by his head gave a screeching, dying sort of sound (he didn’t need the hearing in his left ear, thanks; that’s cool) before showering his back with tiny sparks and falling to the floor.

Or, more precisely, on his foot.

So, against his better judgment, he joined Chloe and Scott (good things always seemed to happen to _them_ all the fracking time) to go look at possible ruins that James had mentioned seeing.

He probably should have listened when Young and Rush both took him aside on separate occasions to make sure he would be careful, that he would listen to Scott and stick close.  Even Wray had come by his room, her smiles too crafted to be anything but concerned.  She was good at reading people, Eli knew, but unfortunately, she was becoming all too easy to read herself.

Eli had brushed off those warnings, oh so foolishly.

Because now, he sat huddled under two blankets in a cave as a blizzard raged and swirled outside.   Visibility was absolutely zero, and it had been a mutual decision to call into Destiny and then hunker down for the night.  It was bitterly cold, the howling air sometimes jettisoning into the cave and threatening the small but productive fire Scott had built.

Which, speaking of…

Eli glanced over at Chloe and Scott, huddled together to share warmth, though it was more cuddling than anything else.  So yeah, he was definitely convinced that Destiny freaking had it out for him, and really, he had no idea why.

“I just can’t catch a break,” Eli muttered, pulling his blanket closer to him and scooting as close to the warmth of the fire as he dared.

Scott snorted.  “I said it would be better if we all shared body warmth; you’re the one that made the trade-off for an extra blanket.”

“Like I want to be a third wheel,” Eli responded, wondering if he could sit any closer to the warmth without combusting.

Chloe sighed and stroked a hand fondly over Scott’s shoulder.  “Eli, it’s not…like that.  You know it.  This is about living through the night until we can safely get back to the gate.  We just have to hope for the best.”

Eli sighed through his nose, even though it hurt the dry skin of his nostrils.  He was going to catch pneumonia or a cold or some weird alien virus; he just _knew_ it.  “You know, I don’t think I’m that unlucky.  In fact, I usually have pretty good karma, all things considered.”

There was a quick private look between Chloe and Scott that Eli didn’t catch.

“But for the love of everything I like about Blizzard-brand games, I never wanted to actually witness a damn _blizzard_.  Seriously, every time I go off-world, it hits the fan.  There was that insect, and then that computer monitor…I think I am two steps away from being afraid to leave that stupid ship.”

“But you need fresh air,” Chloe insisted, sitting up even though it removed her from Scott’s warmth.

Scott sat up next, looking both perturbed and exasperated.  “And you’re going to freeze to death too.  Pick a side or we’re putting you in the middle.”

A strangled feeling worked its way into Eli’s stomach before he could stop it, and he jerked his covers over him more tightly.  “I’m fine.”

“You know,” Chloe said in a conversational tone of voice, “He’s acting more and more like Rush every day.  Cut off his nose to spite his face, you know?”

Scott chuckled lowly against her hair.  “Well, because only an idiot would sit there and freeze to death than share warmth.”

Eli glared in their general direction.  “Do you know how many badly written fics are out there, starting off with this exact scenario?”

“Do you know how many scenarios end up with someone dying because they’re too busy feeling sorry for themselves?” Scott retorted.  “The extra body would help us too, and besides, I’d be offering and insisting no matter who was stuck in here with us.”

Eli looked up, almost feeling sullen and maybe a little patronized as well.  “Even Greer?  How about Rush?”

“Greer would’ve been over here in a heartbeat because he’s not an idiot,” Scott answered frankly.  “And Rush…that jack-ass has more a will to live than anything else, so yeah, he would’ve been over here already too.”

“Besides, Eli...” Chloe said, and concern was dripping all over her tone, “Your lips are turning blue.”

With a put-upon sigh, Eli got to his knees and then his feet, trying to ignore the way the cold was making his joints ache.  He shuffled over the several feet to where Chloe and Scott were, looking at them plaintively, as if it were _their_ fault the universe (or just Destiny even) was being outright unfair.  Hell, at this point, he was relatively convinced that it was anyone’s fault other than just sheer bad luck.

As always, Eli tended to respect their relationship in all things, and grudgingly curled up against Scott’s back.

Scott immediately flinched.  “Jesus fucking Chris, Eli; why didn’t you say anything?  You’ll be lucky if you don’t lose something when we get back to Destiny.”

Eli laughed humorlessly.  “Like Destiny cares if I lose a toe, my nose, a finger; it’s all the same to that heartless bitch.”

Scott moved effortlessly, encouraging Eli to move until he was sandwiched between he and Chloe.

“Chloe’s thinner; she needs to be in the middle,” Eli grumbled, but it went largely ignored as Scott hitched closer until his arm was stretched out beneath Eli and Chloe, his knees curled into the legs of the man between them.

Chloe shifted until the blankets were tucked tightly around her back, which, thanks to Scott’s maneuvering, was now facing the fire.  She had her arm tucked against Eli’s back, her hips slotted against him.  “I’ll be fine; my back’s against the fire.  We should just try to sleep now.”

Eli wanted to laugh again, but it wouldn’t come out.  Chloe’s head was tucked into the space between his shoulder blades, one slender arm draped over his hip.  He was being damn near squished between them, an almost comical parody of the way Scott and Chloe had been hanging around him since the computer incident.  He still had some gnarly scars though, including one on his eyebrow that reminded him a little of the guy that worked with McKay on Atlantis that looked like he could eat the Nakai for breakfast.

Scott grunted irritably behind him.  “I can hear you _thinking_ , Eli.  Go to sleep.”

“I’m _trying_ ,” Eli muttered, shifting again and trying as much as he could to not feel uncomfortable in their current situation.  Still, he was exhausted and as he tired further, he tucked his head into Scott’s collarbone while letting Chloe push closer, despite wanting to think he knew better.

At the end of the day, with the white-out happening beyond the cave, with Chloe snugly wrapped against him and the solid strength of Scott closing in on him from the front, Eli finally relaxed.  He couldn’t say that he actually brushed his lips against the pulse-point on Scott’s neck, or that Scott laid a fond return against his hair, or even that Chloe locked hands with Scott over his hip.

Maybe it was the cold.

Maybe it was something else.

Either way, Eli finally fell asleep, feeling warmer and safer than he had in a long time, not even since he had let the frozen nothing-ness of stasis take over.  Half-asleep (despite the numbness in his left big toe), he curled into Scott’s chest, mostly because it felt like home and warmth.  Chloe moved until she was closer around the two of them, aligning her arm with Scott’s and tightening the other around Eli’s hips.

Eli sighed in sleep, giving in to his extreme fatigue.  His muscles and bones ached from seizing up due to the cold, and he was ready to just relax and give in.  He was ready to simply _sleep_.

When he slowly returned to wakefulness in the morning (or whatever passed for morning on this planet), he only saw Scott’s caring green eyes staring at him and Chloe.  It made something turn a flip in his chest before settling deep and heavy within in his gut.  It quickly spiraled into panic that morphed into full-blown anxiety attack when he realized he had the same problem most guys do in the morning, and, worse yet, so did _Scott_ , and _man_ , he was surprised by how _not_ offended he was by it.

But Scott only shared a secretive grin with Chloe, who must have returned an encouraging look that Eli didn’t see, because Scott simply (and way too efficiently) aligned their hips and _pushed_.  Chloe smiled a kiss into his neck, her hair falling softly over his cheek.  He scrabbled until he had a hand over Scott’s shoulder and Chloe’s hip, wondering if _they_ were the ones telling Destiny to have it out for him—Chloe certainly had the know-how to play with the ship’s programming.

Eli was pulled from the too-busy chaos of his mind by cold fingers drifting over his cheek; callused, thick fingers tilting his chin up without forcing even as another set of slender digits rounded his waist underneath his red t-shirt.  The choked anxiety still curled within his stomach and chest, firmly silencing his voice even as he hunkered down into Scott’s chest and allowed Chloe to play with the longer strands of his hair.

“You’re trying to do the thing,” Eli sleepily mumbled, nudging further into Scott’s neck while finally letting a hand drift to Chloe’s waist.  “You’re trying to do the three thing.”

Chloe laughed behind him, the breath of her reaction blowing almost into his ear as she drifted her fingers lazily over his skin beneath his shirt.  “Yeah, but Matt kind of likes you too.”

Eli could practically feel the stiffening on Scott’s side.  “Well, _Matt_ , what do you think?” he asked, still half-asleep and not all together aware, and feeling all too aware of the fact that they were likely patronizing him.

Scott shifted awkwardly.  “What I think is that you’ve never called me _Matt_.”

Eli grinned; maybe it really was the cold, but he almost felt manic and not all together _there_.  “Well, I’m kind of thinking that I really don’t _care_ , because I’ve always had the same compatibility test for any girl I’ve ever dated.”

Chloe sleepily hummed against his neck.  “And what’s that?”

Eli settled his still-tired stare on Scott— _Matt_.  “How the first kiss goes.  I know from that first time it happens, I’ll know if it’s going to work.”  His tone and stare gave off what he hoped was challenging defiance.

Scott sighed heavily beside him, his mood giving off too much of a Young-vibe.  “Is that what it’s going to take to prove it?”

Eli snorted.  “Dude, you’re military and I’m straight.  _Her_ ,” he jerked his head back pointedly to Chloe, “I’ll always be attracted to.  What makes you think I’d go for you?”

The hurt in Scott’s sigh was damn near palpable and something that felt suspiciously like guilt restlessly settled in Eli’s chest.  “I don’t know.”

“Nothing to add?  Nothing about Chloe wanting it or you wanting it; nothing?” Eli asked, still trying to decipher the pained look on Scott’s face.

Scott eyed him levelly, as if sizing him up and making an assessment.

With no warning at all, Eli felt dry, chapped lips press against his and a cold hand stroking over his cheek and into his hair.  He made a strangled noise, unsure about his reaction until Scott—damn it, _Matt_ —tilted his head slightly and clasped gentle fingers closer around his neck, striping a quick tongue between Eli’s lips.

Eli would be utterly and completely lying if he said he felt _nothing_ , didn’t feel the spark of something hot and dark shoot through his gut and chest.  The very fact that he had practically forgotten Chloe was behind him until her hand grasped against his hip should have been proof enough as it was.

That or the way he had subconsciously curled a hand around Matt’s neck as well, fingers brushing against the short cut of hair at the nape of his neck.

His mind was going in hysteric circles, and, quite abruptly, all he could think about was either Scott’s lips on his own ( _god damn it, his name is Matt_ ) or the fact that he felt like someone had dropped a Big Gulp slurpee on his brain (laced with LSD, possibly ecstasy or whatever other fancy drug the kids were doing these days and _holy hell_ , when did he start thinking about _kids these days_ ) and it took Scott (fuck, _Matt_ ) kissing him again to short out his brain.

It settled quickly, and it reminded him of slotting a Rubik’s cube together with his eyes closed once again as a child.  Chloe moved against his back, tucking her arm against his spine and her other draping over his and Matt’s hips.

Matt, for his part, looked oddly shy and flummoxed.  “Well?” he asked.  “You said you’d know.”

Maybe it was the cold.

Maybe it was something else.

Whatever it was, the chill wasn’t bothering Eli as much anymore, and he finally dug his fingers into Matt’s shoulder, the other resting idly on Chloe’s hip.  “I’ll say it works, because if you were in my head right now, you’d probably whisk Chloe off like some awesome white knight and leave me here to freeze to death.”

Chloe laughed softly against his shoulder, her warm breath puffing against his neck.  “Oh, Eli…you don’t get it, do you?”

Eli frowned, because he thought he _had_ gotten it.  Matt’s kiss hadn’t been bad, and it wasn’t like his usual “morning problem” was going away, given that the good lieutenant was currently still pushing into him with the same issue of his own.  “I…don’t?” he asked, feeling a little stupid and indignant.

He could feel the movement as Chloe lifted her head slightly, sharing yet another private look with Matt that he couldn’t see.

Matt sighed, the humidity of his breath helping with the chapped skin of his lips.  “Look, Eli…this was my idea, not Chloe’s.”

Eli could’ve choked if there were any moisture left in his throat.  “Okay, that’s cool and all…but…” He felt like the words wouldn’t come at first, even as his thoughts kicked at his teeth to make themselves heard.  “Well…” He struggled for a moment before spluttering it out.  “Why _me_?”

Matt seemed to be hurting for words himself until they started spilling from his mouth.  “Because you’re brilliant and optimistic, because you’ve been _trying_ , because you put your own life at risk just so all of us could make that jump, because you talk about stuff that even if we don’t get the reference, we still know you’re referencing something.”  He sighed, the words starting to trickle off from where they had poured out.  “Because you remind me of _home_.”

Eli would blame it later on the fact that what terrible sleep he had gotten had been in a terrible environment in a deeply uncomfortable situation, but in the moment, something stirred emotionally and hard in his gut.  It was just enough that he tamped down the overbearing need to run or make a joke, and was able to lift his head stubbornly and kiss Matt again of his own accord, even with Chloe lying behind him.

Matt made a surprised sound, but seemed to finally relax as Eli clamped down on his shoulder and let Chloe’s arms fold around them both.

“You make home seem closer than it ever has,” Matt quietly murmured against Eli’s lips.

“Home is where you hang your hat,” Eli offered, and even though he still didn’t quite understand it, allowed Matt to wrap his fingers within his own, pressing them between their chests.

“Well, home should be calling soon, and I think the weather’s finally dying down.  After we get through medical, you’ll come have lunch with us?” Matt asked.

Eli gave a skeptical nod.  “When we’re not freezing and sharing body warmth, that sounds good.”

Matt seemed exhausted at that point, eyes drooping closed until his radio unexpectedly went off.

“Lieutenant Scott, report,” came Young’s voice over the radio.

“Colonel,” Scott said, and reluctantly extricated himself from the warmth that had been created.  He walked to the edge of the cave to check in.

It was the first time Eli noticed the wind was dying down.  He turned to face Chloe in a friendly manner.  “So…is this really happening?”

Chloe only gave him a fragile smile.  “He’s been talking about it for a long time, Eli.  You give him something that I can’t, just like I do for you, and you do for us.”

Eli frowned; he wasn’t sure he particularly cared for her phrasing.  “You guys aren’t really missing anything though.”

“We’re not missing it until we see _you_.”  She leaned up and brushed her lips over Eli’s, almost experimentally.  “Just…be there at lunch or dinner, okay?”

Eli hesitated.  “Rush will want me to check in.”

“Just be there for one or the other?”

Scott came back then, securing his weapon and pulling gear together.  “Come on; ETA on a shuttle is ten minutes.  The storm is worse surrounding the gate even though it’s calming a bit here, and Park says there’s not much chance of it dying down.”

They scurried around, putting the fire out and gathering their gear.  Chloe seemed to be holding back words, while Eli awkwardly put his pack back together.

Scott kneeled down with Eli, resting a hand on his shoulder.  “I really meant to speak to you a little more privately about it, if it helps.”  He cast a fond glance in Chloe’s direction before turning his attention back to Eli.  “Chloe just…saw an opportunity; she does that.”

Eli nodded stiffly.  “Just not sure of the sincerity, that’s all.  And look, man, I’ve never done the whole Brokeback thing before, so I’m not even—“

Scott silenced him with both words and a stare.  “If _that’s_ a problem, I need to know _now_.”  His vocal tone was angry, suspicious, and defensive.

“No, no, no!” Eli yelped, drawing an interested stare from Chloe.  He lowered his voice when he spoke again.  “I just…I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Well, I don’t either.  I just know…”  Scott sighed, as if there were things he wanted to say but couldn’t.  He seemed to work through it though and pressed on.  “I just know I liked it, when we kissed.”

Eli grinned awkwardly, playing with the buckles on his pack.  “Yeah, maybe I have that effect.”

Scott chuckled lowly, the pitch going straight to Eli’s gut and pooling in his groin.  “On me, definitely.  Next time, I’ll show you a _real kiss_ , not a test.”

Eli dropped his pack.  It wasn’t until the shuttle was nearly ready to pick them up that he realized Scott had said _next time_.

As they waited at the entrance to the cave, Eli stared at the approaching figure of the shuttle, knowing that more than likely, Young was piloting and Rush was onboard on well.  Chloe and Matt flanked him, getting ready to brave the fierce blizzard of white precipitation in front of them just to make it to the shuttle.

Eli swallowed hard before he grabbed Matt’s hand first and then Chloe’s, twining their fingers together and squeezing.  “It’s gonna have to be dinner; Rush is just gonna have me bring lunch to the bridge so he can brief me about Hoth Jr.”

Chloe smiled pleasingly, even if she didn’t know the kind of road they were headed for.  “That sounds good, Eli.”

Matt squeezed his hand back though.  “I’ll expect to see you there.”

Eli said nothing more as the shuttle landed not fifty feet from the entrance of the cave.  He looked back at where he could see impressions in the dirt where they had all laid together before squeezing their hands again (this time, Matt _and_ Chloe tensed their fingers back into his own), giving both of them a quick smirk, and taking off for the shuttle.

“Last one to the shuttle is a rotten egg!” he yelled back cheerfully, and wasn’t surprised when Matt beat him to it.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note: Oh, man, I so intended this to go way further than what it did XD And it still ended up being longer than I meant as well.
> 
> Still not sure if I characterized Scott that well, or even Chloe :-/ I literally based a lot of it off of the tail end of “Suspicions Confirmed”, where Eli was distracted by Matt and Chloe.
> 
> Either way, I hope you liked! A lot of this was done pretty stream-of-consciousness, so it seems kind of muddled in some areas and way too clear in others. Being that it’s mostly from Eli’s point of view (if not all of it), I felt that worked, given that Eli tends to solve certain things with no problem, but has to parse out others step by step.
> 
> So, hope you enjoyed!


End file.
